It was all smiles for Antoinette Uzamukosha, a 55-year-old widow and survivor of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi when she was handed keys to her new home. She attributes the happiness to the fact that she will not have to pay rent, a nightmare she has had to contend with for the past six months.

The mother of five says she barely made enough money to cater for her family needs, which always left her in conflict with her landlord, since she never paid her rent on time.

“I can’t believe I now own such a beautiful house and will not have to pay rent. I have been living with all my five children in a single-room,” Uzamukosha said.

Uzamukosha’s family is one of the eight vulnerable families that received houses, courtesy of Kicukiro District authorities. The modern houses are located in Masaka Sector in Rusheshe Cell.

“I owe much thanks to President Paul Kagame; I had actually sent some of my children to seek shelter at the neighbours homes since the single-room house was not enough to accomodate us all,” Uzamukosha said.

The houses worth Rwf105 million were built through a joint partnership between the district, the Fund for Support to Genocide Survivors and Reserve Forces.

Eight families received the houses following the first phase in which 22 families that got houses in the same area last year, through the same programme.

Each family got a house with two rooms, a kitchen, toilet, a water tank, store and household items like chairs, beddings among others.

According to the Vice Mayor in charge of social affairs, Emmanuel Baingana, the initiative is part of government’s ongoing target to ensure no Rwandan is left behind in the country’s development process.

“We carry out this exercise annually depending on the available resources; we will therefore, continue to donate houses to other vulnerable families in the district,” Baingana said, adding that there are at least 10 vulnerable families of survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi who will benefit from the initiative next year.

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